Epilepsy: Epsom man runs 27 half marathons in memory of sister
A man whose sister died from epilepsy complications is about to complete his 27th half marathon in her honour. Barry Ahearn, from Epsom, in Surrey, has so far raised £12,000 for charity Epilepsy Action in memory of his sister Abbie who suffered a cardiac arrest during a seizure in September 2023.Mr Ahearn will run his final race, the Battersea Park half marathon, with his wife, Naomi, on Saturday.Mr Ahearn said he wanted Abbie's death "to mean something, to help make a difference, not only by raising money to go towards research but also to raise awareness of how serious this condition is".
Abbie was three months away from her 30th birthday when she died, just six weeks after receiving an epilepsy diagnosis.Mr Ahearn said of his sister: "She was so much fun to be around, always making jokes and playing pranks. "She brightened any room she walked into with her smile and is sorely missed by everyone who knew and loved her."He has chosen to run 27 half marathons to mark each minute Abbie's brain was without oxygen while paramedics tried to revive her.
His completed runs include London Bridge and Carrington Water half-marathons, as well as running on his own in his local park. He said: "The solo runs were the toughest emotionally, as it can be hard to stay focussed and motivated, and of course sometimes I was thinking about Abbie."
Three people die from epilepsy-related causes every day, according to Epilepsy Action. The charity's fundraising director Philippa Cartwright said: "All of us at the charity are in complete awe of Barry's incredible fundraiser. "His determination and resilience is so inspiring and the money raised in Abbie's memory will help so many people."
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and would like information or support, you can visit the BBC Action Line pages.
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